This invention refers to devices for preventing atmospheric contamination in general, and particularly relates to a valve for preventing atmospheric contamination which regulates automatically the vacuum advance of distributors in internal combustion engines equipped with carburetors.
One of the fundamental current problems of the human race related to the population explosion and to unrestricted industrialization is that of the contamination of the atmosphere, that is, the gradual destruction of our life environment.
It has been demonstrated that contamination of the atmosphere is due primarily to contamination caused by the gases generated by vehicles and particularly those produced by gasoline-powered internal combustion engines thereof.
One of the most harmful of the contaminating gases is carbon monoxide, which is particularly the result of imperfect combustion in the said engines.
Up to the present, massive efforts have been made in science and technology toward the objective of reducing this carbon monoxide, by regulating the air-fuel mixture at the proper moment, in order to obtain a more perfect combustion and free from residues, whereby production of the aforementioned carbon monoxide is notably reduced.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, it has been shown that as combustion becomes more perfect, reducing the carbon monoxide content, production of other gases which are also environmental contaminants increases: the oxides of nitrogen. These nitrogen oxides, among other harmful effects, causes problems for the eyesight such as irritation and burning of the eyes, besides smudging the atmosphere; accordingly it has been determined to regulate the production of these oxides at a certain level below which they cause no harm. Nevertheless, up to the present time the harmful level has been exceeded mainly through the use of anitcontamination devices to improve combustion; that is, a difficult problem to solve is facing technology, since on the one hand carbon monoxide has been reduced by more perfect combustion, on the other hand it increases the production of nitrogen oxides which are also contaminants.
Combustion occurs upon causing the ignition of the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber within a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Perfect regulation of the mixture results in better combustion; however, if the ignition, which is accomplished by sending a high-voltage impulse from the distributor to the corresponding spark plug, takes place at a certain time, a very high temperature is produced, above 2,192.degree.F, which is what propiciate that the above mentioned oxides of nitrogen be originated.
At present regulation of the spark in the distributor is produced in two ways: one by means of centrifugally regulated mechanism, attached directly to the shaft of the distributor, aand the other by systems called vacuum advance which works by connection with a vacuum line from the carburetor, through a spring and a diaphragm to the distributor plate which retards or advances the instant in which the high voltage impulse is delivered to the spark plug which in turn will produce the spark for ignition.